Former Rep. Barney Frank says he believes there are still closeted gay members of Congress — and he has no problem with them staying that way, as long as they’re not hypocrites.
The Massachusetts Democrat’s comments came as he discussed his new book, “Frank,” with CNN’s Gloria Borger on Sunday’s “State of the Union.”
He discussed telling then-House Speaker Tip O’Neill that he is gay — and said he thinks there are still closeted gay members in the House.
Asked if he is okay with them staying that way, Frank said: “Yes — as long as he or she is supportive of legal protections.”
“The issue where they lose me is hypocrisy,” he said. “What I think is unacceptable is to vote a certain set of rules as an elected official and then to violate them yourself. But if you are a Democrat, Republican, whatever, and you vote to allow people to do what you do, then I have no demand that you become public.”